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Bluewater Bay #5
The Burnt Toast B&B
After breaking his arm on set, Wolf’s Landing stuntman Ginsberg Sloan finds himself temporarily out of work. Luckily, Bluewater Bay’s worst B&B has cheap long-term rates, and Ginsberg’s not too proud to take advantage of them.
Derrick Richards, a grizzled laid-off logger, inherited the B&B after his parents’ untimely deaths. Making beds and cooking sunny-side-up eggs is hardly Derrick’s idea of a man’s way to make a living, but just as he’s decided to shut the place down, Ginsberg shows up on his doorstep, pitiful and soaking wet, and Derrick can hardly send him packing.
Not outright, at least.
The plan? Carry on the B&B’s tradition of terrible customer service and even worse food until the pampered city boy leaves voluntarily. What Derrick doesn’t count on, though, is that the lousier he gets at hosting, the more he convinces bored, busybody Ginsberg to try to get the B&B back on track. And he definitely doesn’t count on the growing attraction between them, or how much more he learns from Ginsberg than how to put out kitchen fires.
Word 62,000; page 241
Derrick Richards, a grizzled laid-off logger, inherited the B&B after his parents’ untimely deaths. Making beds and cooking sunny-side-up eggs is hardly Derrick’s idea of a man’s way to make a living, but just as he’s decided to shut the place down, Ginsberg shows up on his doorstep, pitiful and soaking wet, and Derrick can hardly send him packing.
Not outright, at least.
The plan? Carry on the B&B’s tradition of terrible customer service and even worse food until the pampered city boy leaves voluntarily. What Derrick doesn’t count on, though, is that the lousier he gets at hosting, the more he convinces bored, busybody Ginsberg to try to get the B&B back on track. And he definitely doesn’t count on the growing attraction between them, or how much more he learns from Ginsberg than how to put out kitchen fires.
Word 62,000; page 241
241 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 3, 2015
114 people are currently reading
920 people want to read
About the author
Heidi Belleau
61 books314 followersHeidi Belleau was born and raised in small town New Brunswick, graduated with a degree in history from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, and now lives outside of Edmonton, Alberta, with her tradesman husband and two kids. A proud bisexual woman, her writing reflects everything she loves: diverse casts of queer characters, a sense of history and place, equal parts witty and filthy dialogue, the occasional mythological twist, and most of all, love—in all its weird and wonderful forms. She is the author of the REAR ENTRANCE VIDEO series, and the co-author of THE BURNT TOAST B&B. Her latest novel DEAD RINGER, co-authored with Sam Schooler, is out now from Riptide Publishing. Her work has been reviewed in PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY, LIBRARY JOURNAL, and BOOKLIST.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 263 reviews
February 22, 2015
I need new shelves for this book: stubborn-lumberjacks; real-men-wear-pink-and-every-other-fucking-color; don't-burn-the-goddamn-toast; dogs-named-Victoria-Beckham-are-trouble; it's-not-the-cock-that-makes-a-man.
Derrick is a man's man. He hates to cook or clean (women's work, obviously). He used to work in the lumber industry with a bunch of smelly, straighter-than-a-rod guys. He doesn't do aprons.
And he sure as hell doesn't do pink. EVER.
Trying not to run his late parents' B&B into the ground but doing exactly that, Derrick is grumpy, anti-social, and lonely.
Enter Ginsberg, the spontaneous, optimistic stuntman from Wolf's Landing whom we first meet in Starstruck Bluewater Bay 1 .
Ginsberg, accustomed to couch surfing, is looking for a cheap long-term housing solution while his arm is in a cast. He stumbles upon Derrick's dusty, empty B&B and makes himself right at home.
This story worked on many levels. The writing is engaging and accessible. The alternating POVs helped me understand each MC, even if I often wanted to smack Derrick upside the head for his negative, defeatist thoughts.
The secondary characters, including Derrick's much suffering queenie ex, Jim, and a very snippy, very yappy terrier named, appropriately, Victoria Beckham (come on, it's fucking hysterical!), are a joy.
We even get to very briefly visit with Levi and Carter from book 1!
Most of the story focuses on the friendship and slow burn between Derrick and Ginsberg as they try to revive the ailing B&B.
Derrick tries so hard not to be "girly" that he locks himself in a cage of stereotypes and expectations.
And Ginsberg, well, he's sweet and patient, until Derrick pushes too far.
While Derrick's outburst toward the end was pretty brutal, I think Ginsberg made a lot of assumptions about Derrick that weren't justified and didn't give Derrick credit where credit was due.
My main niggle is that there's hardly any steam in this story, which was really disappointing.
The guys don't get together until 60 percent, and while I really liked the scorching tension, the flirting, the delicious waiting, the story needed a bit MORE: more romance, more sexiness, a deeper connection between the MCs.
The authors deal with sensitive issues of gender and sexual identity.
I don't think the following spoils the book, as it's revealed at 11 percent, but if you want a blank slate, please do NOT read.
Do the men get their HEA?
Derrick is a man's man. He hates to cook or clean (women's work, obviously). He used to work in the lumber industry with a bunch of smelly, straighter-than-a-rod guys. He doesn't do aprons.
And he sure as hell doesn't do pink. EVER.
Trying not to run his late parents' B&B into the ground but doing exactly that, Derrick is grumpy, anti-social, and lonely.
Enter Ginsberg, the spontaneous, optimistic stuntman from Wolf's Landing whom we first meet in Starstruck Bluewater Bay 1 .
Ginsberg, accustomed to couch surfing, is looking for a cheap long-term housing solution while his arm is in a cast. He stumbles upon Derrick's dusty, empty B&B and makes himself right at home.
This story worked on many levels. The writing is engaging and accessible. The alternating POVs helped me understand each MC, even if I often wanted to smack Derrick upside the head for his negative, defeatist thoughts.
The secondary characters, including Derrick's much suffering queenie ex, Jim, and a very snippy, very yappy terrier named, appropriately, Victoria Beckham (come on, it's fucking hysterical!), are a joy.
We even get to very briefly visit with Levi and Carter from book 1!
Most of the story focuses on the friendship and slow burn between Derrick and Ginsberg as they try to revive the ailing B&B.
Derrick tries so hard not to be "girly" that he locks himself in a cage of stereotypes and expectations.
And Ginsberg, well, he's sweet and patient, until Derrick pushes too far.
While Derrick's outburst toward the end was pretty brutal, I think Ginsberg made a lot of assumptions about Derrick that weren't justified and didn't give Derrick credit where credit was due.
My main niggle is that there's hardly any steam in this story, which was really disappointing.
The guys don't get together until 60 percent, and while I really liked the scorching tension, the flirting, the delicious waiting, the story needed a bit MORE: more romance, more sexiness, a deeper connection between the MCs.
The authors deal with sensitive issues of gender and sexual identity.
I don't think the following spoils the book, as it's revealed at 11 percent, but if you want a blank slate, please do NOT read.
Do the men get their HEA?
"Anyway, it did teach me an important lesson."
"What's that?" . . .
"That you don't always get what you want."
Derrick put down the sheet he was holding and took Ginsberg's face in both hands. "Yeah, here's another lesson."
"Yeah?" Ginsberg breathed, eyes slipping closed . . . "What's that?"
"That sometimes you do."
January 24, 2015
**Review contains minor plot spoilers**
*3.5 stars*
I really wanted this book to be a home run. Like SO badly. I've read a few stories about transmen or dealing with trans-topics but this is the first where being trans just... was. It was a part of the story, not the WHOLE story. I wanted to kiss these authors for making being trans just another aspect of Ginsberg and not EVERYTHING about him.
I'll talk a few moments about the trans content. I am very comfortable reading erotic romance with a transman MC. In fact, I find many transmen to be really hot. I don't quite get the psychology behind the reason that I'm not at all attracted to lady parts on a woman, but a "bonus hole" on a transman? Yeah, I can get down with that. For those of you that are squeamish about the lack of typical male anatomy or think that you won't be able to keep an open mind, I think it's best to just skip this one. I've done some... ehem... research... on this topic, and I think that the way that Heidi Belleau and Rachel Hamowitz depicted the more intimate aspects of Ginsberg was spot on.
Ginsberg was also just an all around lovely character. I really enjoyed his mix between vulnerability and self-confidence, and I connected to him in a lot of ways. I also think hipsters are hot, so there ya go!
Where the authors dropped the ball a bit was with Derrick. I didn't understand him at all. He was a really strange mix of effeminate-phobic and completely okay with all things trans. He was this combo of open-mindedness and close-mindedness that just didn't come together for me. I didn't get him as a character. He has a fear of being abandoned and a fear of being seen as girly, I guess, but it came across as grating rather than endearing. I thought he was a complete dick to his ex and I wasn't sold on him for Ginsberg.
I also wish the authors would have made this book steamier. I wanted to see some more scenes in DETAIL, like , which was a fade-to-black. I also just wanted more scenes in general! Like I said, I think Ginsberg was a hot character and I wanted more sex scenes with him. It was a missed opportunity, I think. These authors usually don't shy away from explicit content so I felt the lack here.
All in all, I think this book does some really great things but I still had some issues with it. I hope we get more books with trans MCs because I'm proof that there is an audience for them.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
*3.5 stars*
I really wanted this book to be a home run. Like SO badly. I've read a few stories about transmen or dealing with trans-topics but this is the first where being trans just... was. It was a part of the story, not the WHOLE story. I wanted to kiss these authors for making being trans just another aspect of Ginsberg and not EVERYTHING about him.
I'll talk a few moments about the trans content. I am very comfortable reading erotic romance with a transman MC. In fact, I find many transmen to be really hot. I don't quite get the psychology behind the reason that I'm not at all attracted to lady parts on a woman, but a "bonus hole" on a transman? Yeah, I can get down with that. For those of you that are squeamish about the lack of typical male anatomy or think that you won't be able to keep an open mind, I think it's best to just skip this one. I've done some... ehem... research... on this topic, and I think that the way that Heidi Belleau and Rachel Hamowitz depicted the more intimate aspects of Ginsberg was spot on.
Ginsberg was also just an all around lovely character. I really enjoyed his mix between vulnerability and self-confidence, and I connected to him in a lot of ways. I also think hipsters are hot, so there ya go!
Where the authors dropped the ball a bit was with Derrick. I didn't understand him at all. He was a really strange mix of effeminate-phobic and completely okay with all things trans. He was this combo of open-mindedness and close-mindedness that just didn't come together for me. I didn't get him as a character. He has a fear of being abandoned and a fear of being seen as girly, I guess, but it came across as grating rather than endearing. I thought he was a complete dick to his ex and I wasn't sold on him for Ginsberg.
I also wish the authors would have made this book steamier. I wanted to see some more scenes in DETAIL, like , which was a fade-to-black. I also just wanted more scenes in general! Like I said, I think Ginsberg was a hot character and I wanted more sex scenes with him. It was a missed opportunity, I think. These authors usually don't shy away from explicit content so I felt the lack here.
All in all, I think this book does some really great things but I still had some issues with it. I hope we get more books with trans MCs because I'm proof that there is an audience for them.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
January 27, 2015
This story teams up two unlikely guys. Derrick is running his dead parents' B&B into the ground, half-deliberately, because he fits in it like a square peg in a round hole. As a kid, the teasing he got, the "so gay" slurs for having chores that involved cooking and maid service would have been bad enough even if he hadn't been aware that he actually was a gay man. He became a logger, the most macho profession he could come up with, in some convoluted effort to prove to himself that the "gay" part didn't negate the "man." Then his parents died and he found himself owning the B&B, torn between preserving their legacy and holding onto his self-image, and failing at both.
Ginsburg is a young guy who has re-invented himself from the ground up after being rejected by his family. He's a stuntman for the local TV show, he's got a new first name and a strong, slim body and a demanding profession that he's worked hard for and is very good at. The broken arm that has forced him off the set for several weeks is a small stumble, not a major road-block. His job will probably be waiting for him. But in search of a cheap place to stay for those weeks, he picks Derrick's B&B, and becomes intrigued by the big, hairy, hot mess of contradictions that is Derrick Richards.
I enjoyed watching these guys together. Derrick's flailing, his lack of self-awareness and his moments of panicked retreat, were painfully funny. I did question how someone can fail to learn how to work a toaster or fry bacon after 2 years (or still have any guests by then, having failed.) A few plot-points and scenes felt exaggerated for comic effect. But I could chalk some of it up to deliberate self-sabotage on Derrick's part, and I did enjoy the story. A fast, fun read with a few moments of emotion and a couple of good characters. Thanks to the authors for a story I've been wanting to read.
Ginsburg is a young guy who has re-invented himself from the ground up after being rejected by his family. He's a stuntman for the local TV show, he's got a new first name and a strong, slim body and a demanding profession that he's worked hard for and is very good at. The broken arm that has forced him off the set for several weeks is a small stumble, not a major road-block. His job will probably be waiting for him. But in search of a cheap place to stay for those weeks, he picks Derrick's B&B, and becomes intrigued by the big, hairy, hot mess of contradictions that is Derrick Richards.
I enjoyed watching these guys together. Derrick's flailing, his lack of self-awareness and his moments of panicked retreat, were painfully funny. I did question how someone can fail to learn how to work a toaster or fry bacon after 2 years (or still have any guests by then, having failed.) A few plot-points and scenes felt exaggerated for comic effect. But I could chalk some of it up to deliberate self-sabotage on Derrick's part, and I did enjoy the story. A fast, fun read with a few moments of emotion and a couple of good characters. Thanks to the authors for a story I've been wanting to read.
January 10, 2015
A little background (because I wanted to do it and this is my review space, so deal with it *haha*)
I will be honest with you all, before this book, Heidi Belleau and Rachel Haimowitz are not authors whose books I want to read. I know their track record. They wrote Flesh Cartel series together. I won't touch those books with ten-foot pole. You can offer to pay me to read it and I will still refuse. Their books are just NOT my cup of tea!!
But then my lovely friend, D✡ni, wrote her own early review for this, in which one sentence got to my attention. She said: "my main niggle is that there's hardly any steam in this story, which was really disappointing. The guys don't get together until 60 percent"
Well, I thought, that was MY kind of read -- I don't like reading too many sex scenes. One scene is often enough for me. So anything low-steam is nice. I usually skip sex scenes anyway!
Then D✡ni asked me this "Are you going to read this? I want you to read this. I want your viewpoint on the "sex situation. I was actually thinking, Hmmm...I wonder what Ami would say about this.
So I ended up requesting this from NetGalley. Because a friend has got to do what a friend has got to do. Plus I was indeed curious. In addition, I read all four books in this Bluewater Bay universe and I felt like I need to read the last one (so far) too.
And guess what, D✡ni ... I. FRICKING. LOVE. THIS. BOOK.
OMG, this is what I want to read in my romance!!! It's a perfect read all the way through for me --- it's sweet, it's adorable, it's fresh (I'll get to the fresh part), it's thought provoking without being preachy or heavy (I get to that part also), it has believable fight and conflict, and it has a GRAND GESTURE OF LOVE (and nice groveling).
I was completely charmed by it -- I read it all through the night!! When I woke up this morning -- sometimes my feeling to a book can change after I sleep on it, after the glow is over. Which is why I usually write my review after awhile, to let the story simmers in. Anyway, guess what, I still had a huge smile to my face when I was thinking about this story.
So what can I do? Give this book my 5-stars rating of course, because I simply can't find anything to complain about.
On to the real review now -- may contain spoilers
I think what worked for me the most here was the opposite attracts between Derrick and Ginsberg -- Derrick is the manly lumberjack type and Ginsberg is the slightly less 'manly' in terms of physique stereotype. Ginsberg is a trans* character, he has operation done and everything. At the same time they are working in field area that are stereotyped as 'girly' and 'manly' respectively. Derrick ends up working in his late parent's B&B, serving coffee and burning guests' breakfasts. While Ginsberg works as a stuntman, which demands a LOT of physical work commonly associated with masculinity.
I LOVED this. I loved how the authors handled the trans* character; that it wasn't such a HUGE deal, but at the same time it had significant IMPACT to the storyline and character growth (in this case, Derrick's). There wasn't any angst or conflicts related to Ginsberg's 'physical' sexuality. There might be a moment during the sex scene when Derrick was wondering about the right "hole". But it was written in a light tone, which ended up as cute and tender.
The story is more about challenging the perception of gender stereotyping. Derrick dislikes working at the B&B because his friends used to ridiculed him for working in a girly workfrield ("Are you wearing apron, Derrick?") and he feels like he needs to be in a masculine job. Ginsberg's sexual identity CHALLENGES him about the whole 'what are manly things and not". I mean, Ginsberg likes to cook and happily wear pink apron but he also works as a stuntman. This is what I found as fresh and thought provoking.
I thought the built-up romance was really lovely -- their flirts and interaction and relationship brought HUGE SMILE to my face, even when I was reading this in a public train. Ginsberg has a very positive attitude in him and this, in a way, transforms Derrick to be a better man. Yes, we only have two sex scenes, one after 60% and one near the very end. But it makes it worthwhile and rewarding for me. I don't need the steam. I need the romance and the romance is PERFECT.
Oh, this also has wonderful supporting characters -- like Jim, Derrick's ex (who is still in speaking term with Derrick) who is crunching numbers by day and BAKING at night (he's like a superhero *haha*) and a coffee place's owner who may have "rock/punk" attitude but let indie musicians play in her establishment (Gah, I even need to add stars simply by reading the names "Sufjan Stevens - Iron Wine - Great Lake Swimmers alone!)
Then the grand gesture. THE GRAND GESTURE!! Because of course Derrick acts stupid near the end -- we need that kind of conflict/climax in romance, right? Because the fight will involve great love declaration haha -- and it led to terrible fight. But what Derrick does to win Ginsberg over?!? Well, it is Hollywood rom-com worthy and it WON me over and I loved every single minute of it.
*sigh*
So yes, in the end, I can definitely say this ... I love this book. I will buy my own copy despite having the ARC -- heck, I'll show you proof of purchase if you doubt me! This is the kind of book in which I will say ... "I don't care if you don't love it or find faults with it, because I love it and that's more important for me! *haha* It's my favorite from the Bluewater Bay series (I didn't even skip the sex scenes this time!). And since it receives my 5-stars, it is definitely one of my favorite read of the year.
PS: Little trivia, K.J. Charles edited this *wink*.
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
I will be honest with you all, before this book, Heidi Belleau and Rachel Haimowitz are not authors whose books I want to read. I know their track record. They wrote Flesh Cartel series together. I won't touch those books with ten-foot pole. You can offer to pay me to read it and I will still refuse. Their books are just NOT my cup of tea!!
But then my lovely friend, D✡ni, wrote her own early review for this, in which one sentence got to my attention. She said: "my main niggle is that there's hardly any steam in this story, which was really disappointing. The guys don't get together until 60 percent"
Well, I thought, that was MY kind of read -- I don't like reading too many sex scenes. One scene is often enough for me. So anything low-steam is nice. I usually skip sex scenes anyway!
Then D✡ni asked me this "Are you going to read this? I want you to read this. I want your viewpoint on the "sex situation. I was actually thinking, Hmmm...I wonder what Ami would say about this.
So I ended up requesting this from NetGalley. Because a friend has got to do what a friend has got to do. Plus I was indeed curious. In addition, I read all four books in this Bluewater Bay universe and I felt like I need to read the last one (so far) too.
And guess what, D✡ni ... I. FRICKING. LOVE. THIS. BOOK.
OMG, this is what I want to read in my romance!!! It's a perfect read all the way through for me --- it's sweet, it's adorable, it's fresh (I'll get to the fresh part), it's thought provoking without being preachy or heavy (I get to that part also), it has believable fight and conflict, and it has a GRAND GESTURE OF LOVE (and nice groveling).
I was completely charmed by it -- I read it all through the night!! When I woke up this morning -- sometimes my feeling to a book can change after I sleep on it, after the glow is over. Which is why I usually write my review after awhile, to let the story simmers in. Anyway, guess what, I still had a huge smile to my face when I was thinking about this story.
So what can I do? Give this book my 5-stars rating of course, because I simply can't find anything to complain about.
On to the real review now -- may contain spoilers
I think what worked for me the most here was the opposite attracts between Derrick and Ginsberg -- Derrick is the manly lumberjack type and Ginsberg is the slightly less 'manly' in terms of physique stereotype. Ginsberg is a trans* character, he has operation done and everything. At the same time they are working in field area that are stereotyped as 'girly' and 'manly' respectively. Derrick ends up working in his late parent's B&B, serving coffee and burning guests' breakfasts. While Ginsberg works as a stuntman, which demands a LOT of physical work commonly associated with masculinity.
I LOVED this. I loved how the authors handled the trans* character; that it wasn't such a HUGE deal, but at the same time it had significant IMPACT to the storyline and character growth (in this case, Derrick's). There wasn't any angst or conflicts related to Ginsberg's 'physical' sexuality. There might be a moment during the sex scene when Derrick was wondering about the right "hole". But it was written in a light tone, which ended up as cute and tender.
The story is more about challenging the perception of gender stereotyping. Derrick dislikes working at the B&B because his friends used to ridiculed him for working in a girly workfrield ("Are you wearing apron, Derrick?") and he feels like he needs to be in a masculine job. Ginsberg's sexual identity CHALLENGES him about the whole 'what are manly things and not". I mean, Ginsberg likes to cook and happily wear pink apron but he also works as a stuntman. This is what I found as fresh and thought provoking.
I thought the built-up romance was really lovely -- their flirts and interaction and relationship brought HUGE SMILE to my face, even when I was reading this in a public train. Ginsberg has a very positive attitude in him and this, in a way, transforms Derrick to be a better man. Yes, we only have two sex scenes, one after 60% and one near the very end. But it makes it worthwhile and rewarding for me. I don't need the steam. I need the romance and the romance is PERFECT.
Oh, this also has wonderful supporting characters -- like Jim, Derrick's ex (who is still in speaking term with Derrick) who is crunching numbers by day and BAKING at night (he's like a superhero *haha*) and a coffee place's owner who may have "rock/punk" attitude but let indie musicians play in her establishment (Gah, I even need to add stars simply by reading the names "Sufjan Stevens - Iron Wine - Great Lake Swimmers alone!)
Then the grand gesture. THE GRAND GESTURE!! Because of course Derrick acts stupid near the end -- we need that kind of conflict/climax in romance, right? Because the fight will involve great love declaration haha -- and it led to terrible fight. But what Derrick does to win Ginsberg over?!? Well, it is Hollywood rom-com worthy and it WON me over and I loved every single minute of it.
*sigh*
So yes, in the end, I can definitely say this ... I love this book. I will buy my own copy despite having the ARC -- heck, I'll show you proof of purchase if you doubt me! This is the kind of book in which I will say ... "I don't care if you don't love it or find faults with it, because I love it and that's more important for me! *haha* It's my favorite from the Bluewater Bay series (I didn't even skip the sex scenes this time!). And since it receives my 5-stars, it is definitely one of my favorite read of the year.
PS: Little trivia, K.J. Charles edited this *wink*.
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
April 18, 2023
I think this is one of the most realistic representation of internalized homophobia I found in an MM book and even though Derrick had a solid character growth I finished the book still disliking him (despite the funny, sweet and crazy grand gesture he made towards the end). Yet, I enjoyed the book immensely because the issues this book presented here were food for thought and it was done in a spectacular way. Also Ginsberg (yeah, pretty unusual name) is one of my fav trans characters ever. I can’t say the romance fascinated me but the characters were so interesting (even the side ones like Jim) and the matters treated were actual and realistic without being preachy . Quite a good book.
August 29, 2015
"I wanna cover you in candied bacon and eat you whole."
Wait.wait WAAAAIIIITTTT!
Let's just talk about the pink elephant in the room.
These two wrote sweet?!?!? SWEET?!?!?
No one was raped.
No one was tortured.
Hell, there wasn't even a TENS unit!
Surely this is a sign of the apocalypse, no?
*starts gathering materials for bunker*
I half had to finish it just to see if there weren't some human traffickers lurking in Bluewater Bay waiting to gather a lumbersexual.
Derrick might have benefitted from a little light torture because his attitude at times...
And the things that come out of his mouth...
JM&J is he bungling and inarticulate. He's socially awkward, bashful and lonely. And stuck with his parents B&B that he has no idea how to run, thus he's running it into the ground.
The issues he has with his masculinity are ingrained from childhood and while I understand childhood bullying can be hard to overcome I found Derrick's issues both heavy handed and confusing. I think he's just as confused as I am and on the one hand, I applaud the authors for bringing that to life, but on the other I found it discombobulating as a reader.
Thankfully, he has a ridiculously patient ex and Ginsberg to show him how his hangups are only hurting him.
Ginsberg, I really liked, even though he's a... hipster. At least he's not the type of hipster I want to squash like a grape. The ones with the "I hate everything and everyone just because" and they're always bored, never shy about showing their annoyance with the lesser thans and infinitely condescending in their aloofness.
On the contrary he's vivacious, gregarious, perky, agreeable AND he likes The Strokes. He can't be all bad if he likes The Strokes. I give credit where credit is due.
This story is a quiet slice of life tale with a hipster infusion and a whole lotta good eats.
Maple candied bacon homemade donuts!
Fresh Fruit tartlets!
Chocolate croissants!
I might've put on a couple pounds just reading it.
A psycho Yorkie who runs the place and an effervescent and effeminate ex round out the cast adding comic relief.
It's well written. No surprise there. The way they use language to not only tell this story, but to give each of these characters their own unique voice is what kept me reading. Well, that plus the donuts and the waiting for a human trafficker to jump out of a van. Because they're always in a van. At least there was groveling (and some MANTEARS). Well deserved groveling (and MANTEARS) and cute aprons.
Charming read that was edifying as well. I only had to Google a couple things, so my vision quest continues.
May 10, 2015
We (finally) have a winner!
There may be spoilers below.
'The Burnt Toast B&B was the book that caught my eye and brought the Bluewater Bay series to my attention. So it makes some sense that this would be the only book, so far at least, from the series that I've really enjoyed.
Ginsberg Sloan is a stuntman who's temporarily out of work due to an on-set injury. He's also a gay transman, which comes with its own stereotypes and complications. Looking for some cheap housing to recuperate in, he ends up at the failing Bayview B&B. That's where he meets the owner, Derrick Richards. Derrick was a lumberjack, but his parents' deaths brought him back to the Bayview B&B. So far, he's not doing a good job at running the place.
Derrick is..well, to put it delicately..er, he's a complete moron! Okay, so maybe that wasn't delicate at all, but it's the truth. He's stubborn, purposely obtuse and a bit sexist. But don't worry, because Ginsberg is there to help. He takes it upon himself to get the B&B back on its feet, and also change some of Derrick's attitudes.
The first 30% of the book is equal parts funny and frustrating. It's hard not to want to punch Derrick in the face, but his fumbling attempts at trying to run Ginsberg off, while also making sure than he wasn't outright mean, were kind of sweet in weird way.
Best of all was to see the two developing a friendship, without really meaning to. As other reviews have also noted, this was a slow romance. The two are attracted to each other from early on, but there's a build-up to the sex. In the meantime, what they build is a relationship beyond the lust.
I really liked how Ginsberg's transsexuality was handled. There was an acknowledgement of the circumstances that Ginsberg has been through, but without narrowing down his whole character to just that one thing. I'm also glad that Derrick,
Reading about these two very mismatched individuals build something together was great. I really liked the setting of the B&B. I also liked that this book had much less focus on filming and Wolf's Landing than previous books in the series. Overall, this was a really good book.
And no, I did not use this review as an excuse to look up pics of hot lumberjacks. I absolutely didn't.
*ARC provided through NetGalley
There may be spoilers below.
'The Burnt Toast B&B was the book that caught my eye and brought the Bluewater Bay series to my attention. So it makes some sense that this would be the only book, so far at least, from the series that I've really enjoyed.
Ginsberg Sloan is a stuntman who's temporarily out of work due to an on-set injury. He's also a gay transman, which comes with its own stereotypes and complications. Looking for some cheap housing to recuperate in, he ends up at the failing Bayview B&B. That's where he meets the owner, Derrick Richards. Derrick was a lumberjack, but his parents' deaths brought him back to the Bayview B&B. So far, he's not doing a good job at running the place.
Derrick is..well, to put it delicately..er, he's a complete moron! Okay, so maybe that wasn't delicate at all, but it's the truth. He's stubborn, purposely obtuse and a bit sexist. But don't worry, because Ginsberg is there to help. He takes it upon himself to get the B&B back on its feet, and also change some of Derrick's attitudes.
The first 30% of the book is equal parts funny and frustrating. It's hard not to want to punch Derrick in the face, but his fumbling attempts at trying to run Ginsberg off, while also making sure than he wasn't outright mean, were kind of sweet in weird way.
Best of all was to see the two developing a friendship, without really meaning to. As other reviews have also noted, this was a slow romance. The two are attracted to each other from early on, but there's a build-up to the sex. In the meantime, what they build is a relationship beyond the lust.
I really liked how Ginsberg's transsexuality was handled. There was an acknowledgement of the circumstances that Ginsberg has been through, but without narrowing down his whole character to just that one thing. I'm also glad that Derrick,
Reading about these two very mismatched individuals build something together was great. I really liked the setting of the B&B. I also liked that this book had much less focus on filming and Wolf's Landing than previous books in the series. Overall, this was a really good book.
And no, I did not use this review as an excuse to look up pics of hot lumberjacks. I absolutely didn't.
*ARC provided through NetGalley
February 17, 2015
My first impression of the book was to actively dislike the main character, it’s hard to recover from that. I think the aim was to show someone reaching their limits but it reads too much like him not caring and considering himself above such tasks. I pushed on but the conflict of whether he was a sympathetic character or simply a dick continued, whenever I started to warm to him something happened to quash it.
Derrick’s a churlish boar and I kept feeling that instead of adding depth all his manly issues were dreamt up to make him a bigger contrast to Ginsberg. His ‘plot’ of bad hosting, such a needless childish endeavour when he could simply be a man and say ‘I’m closing down, you can rent space while I pack things up’. There’s a stupid argument nearing the end that wipes out any character growth, it made me wonder why Ginsberg, and even more so why Jim, stuck around. In fact that argument killed any charm for me, all the pretty pink frilly apologies that followed made me roll my eyes.
Ginsberg was a bright treat though. Both stars are for him. Loved his confidence and how he was allowed to shine for who he was, there’s a hint of vulnerability behind his cocky swagger but the fact he’s trans remained secondary to his personality and never became an angsty focus.
Don’t understand why Derrick kept calling Ginsberg ‘kid’ it bugged me to the point I went back to check their ages – both thirties, only four years between them.
And what was with all the Hipsters? Started to feel like some freaky alien race set to take over the world; the Hipsters are everywhere, wearing overpriced clothes, listening to music, drinking fancy coffee, hiring rooms, getting married - presumably then breeding more Hipsters… Look out They’re Behind You!!!!!!
Clearing out/cleaning the averaged sized house is a big undertaking. One week for two people to make a large B&B hospitable and show ready; scrubbing, clearing, nostalgia. And prep for a live band. And add to that one person having an arm broken in three places… Also to go to the event you’d have to be in the area (under a week notice) so presumably you’d either live in the area or have lodgings already and not need a B&B room.
It’s a collaboration, nothing to disjointed about it; one author appears to like rhetorical questions, why is that? While the other favours bracketed emphasis (she really does) the latter being something I find common within TW fandom.
I couldn’t help making connections:
Derrick – Anti-social, family dead, failing at family business, house almost catches fire, he has brows, growls several times, and at one point lunges to push Ginsberg into a wall. (He’s even named Derrick! (Derrick/Derek)
Ginsberg – Social, optimistic, nosy, meddler, chose own name, slight built, takes over and organises everything, wears plaid at least once. Works with werewolves aka stuntman.
There’s a lot of really good Sterek (Teen Wolf) fanfiction out there for free, this really doesn’t compete!
Derrick’s a churlish boar and I kept feeling that instead of adding depth all his manly issues were dreamt up to make him a bigger contrast to Ginsberg. His ‘plot’ of bad hosting, such a needless childish endeavour when he could simply be a man and say ‘I’m closing down, you can rent space while I pack things up’. There’s a stupid argument nearing the end that wipes out any character growth, it made me wonder why Ginsberg, and even more so why Jim, stuck around. In fact that argument killed any charm for me, all the pretty pink frilly apologies that followed made me roll my eyes.
Ginsberg was a bright treat though. Both stars are for him. Loved his confidence and how he was allowed to shine for who he was, there’s a hint of vulnerability behind his cocky swagger but the fact he’s trans remained secondary to his personality and never became an angsty focus.
Don’t understand why Derrick kept calling Ginsberg ‘kid’ it bugged me to the point I went back to check their ages – both thirties, only four years between them.
And what was with all the Hipsters? Started to feel like some freaky alien race set to take over the world; the Hipsters are everywhere, wearing overpriced clothes, listening to music, drinking fancy coffee, hiring rooms, getting married - presumably then breeding more Hipsters… Look out They’re Behind You!!!!!!
Clearing out/cleaning the averaged sized house is a big undertaking. One week for two people to make a large B&B hospitable and show ready; scrubbing, clearing, nostalgia. And prep for a live band. And add to that one person having an arm broken in three places… Also to go to the event you’d have to be in the area (under a week notice) so presumably you’d either live in the area or have lodgings already and not need a B&B room.
It’s a collaboration, nothing to disjointed about it; one author appears to like rhetorical questions, why is that? While the other favours bracketed emphasis (she really does) the latter being something I find common within TW fandom.
I couldn’t help making connections:
Derrick – Anti-social, family dead, failing at family business, house almost catches fire, he has brows, growls several times, and at one point lunges to push Ginsberg into a wall. (He’s even named Derrick! (Derrick/Derek)
Ginsberg – Social, optimistic, nosy, meddler, chose own name, slight built, takes over and organises everything, wears plaid at least once. Works with werewolves aka stuntman.
There’s a lot of really good Sterek (Teen Wolf) fanfiction out there for free, this really doesn’t compete!
March 14, 2016
I love, love, loved this book. It was...I don't even think I have the words to explain this so I'm going to suggest that you go see Dani's review on GR because I couldn't do a better job than she did no matter how hard I try and here's the link... https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Now for my part anyone who knows me can probably take a good guess at why this book grabbed me and wouldn't let go. That's right it's all about Ginsberg. He's fabulous. He's the type of person that makes others a better person just for having known him and that's what he did for Derrick. He didn't try to change Derrick but he did enable him to be honest and true with himself. Derrick needed to redefine a lot of who he was. Not because he was bad. He truly wasn't but a lot of his fundamental beliefs were misguided and he needed to rethink them in order to become the person that he truly wanted to be.
The other person in this story whom I really came to like was Derrick's ex, Jim. I'd love to see him get his own story and his own HEA. He was adorable and I think there's so much more to be told about him.
'The Burnt Toast B&B' was a story that touched my heart on a personal level and made me appreciate my Ginsberg so much more than I already do. We all have a Ginsberg in our lives the question is do we realize it. Do we see and appreciate that amazing person who makes us strive to be more, to be better. I know who my Ginsberg is and I thank god for him every day, do you?
Now for my part anyone who knows me can probably take a good guess at why this book grabbed me and wouldn't let go. That's right it's all about Ginsberg. He's fabulous. He's the type of person that makes others a better person just for having known him and that's what he did for Derrick. He didn't try to change Derrick but he did enable him to be honest and true with himself. Derrick needed to redefine a lot of who he was. Not because he was bad. He truly wasn't but a lot of his fundamental beliefs were misguided and he needed to rethink them in order to become the person that he truly wanted to be.
The other person in this story whom I really came to like was Derrick's ex, Jim. I'd love to see him get his own story and his own HEA. He was adorable and I think there's so much more to be told about him.
'The Burnt Toast B&B' was a story that touched my heart on a personal level and made me appreciate my Ginsberg so much more than I already do. We all have a Ginsberg in our lives the question is do we realize it. Do we see and appreciate that amazing person who makes us strive to be more, to be better. I know who my Ginsberg is and I thank god for him every day, do you?
January 18, 2015
It was OK. I feel bad for not being able to enthuse. I feel bad for feeling that I am not p.c., and right-on and a "hipster". I wish this book was not under the m/m genre heading and it's impossible to say why without giving away the big reveal or filling my review with spoiler alerts.
Let's just say I couldn't see the point and spent too much time Googling to see if this character situation has ever actually happened. It seems it has; one such example actually works in the Gay Adult Film Industry and goes by the name of Buck Angel.
I wish I could have liked this story more. The theme is certainly bravery. It just didn't work for me.
Let's just say I couldn't see the point and spent too much time Googling to see if this character situation has ever actually happened. It seems it has; one such example actually works in the Gay Adult Film Industry and goes by the name of Buck Angel.
I wish I could have liked this story more. The theme is certainly bravery. It just didn't work for me.
January 13, 2015
4.5 stars
Endearing characters, sweet, heart warming...seriously well written.
Utterly charming and fun and yet unafraid to look at some serious issues.
This one is a winner.
Endearing characters, sweet, heart warming...seriously well written.
Utterly charming and fun and yet unafraid to look at some serious issues.
This one is a winner.
January 15, 2015
3.5 rounded up.
I loved Ginsberg, but Derrick was an idiot, obsessing about not being seen as "girly" and making things way more complicated than they needed to be.
The initial plan to drive Ginsberg way? So stupid. I was so glad when Derrick started acting like a grown-up, and my enjoyment of the story increased dramatically from that point on. Until...well, until he was a complete ass and messed everything up. I was so angry, and disgusted. But then he wasn't an ass anymore and I just wanted to hug him.
Side notes:
Derrick calling Ginsberg "the kid" was annoying. He was 31 years old!
I loved how Derrick was about Ginsberg being trans, though.
I loved Ginsberg, but Derrick was an idiot, obsessing about not being seen as "girly" and making things way more complicated than they needed to be.
The initial plan to drive Ginsberg way? So stupid. I was so glad when Derrick started acting like a grown-up, and my enjoyment of the story increased dramatically from that point on. Until...well, until he was a complete ass and messed everything up. I was so angry, and disgusted. But then he wasn't an ass anymore and I just wanted to hug him.
Side notes:
Derrick calling Ginsberg "the kid" was annoying. He was 31 years old!
I loved how Derrick was about Ginsberg being trans, though.
January 22, 2015
Let me count the stereotypes:
(1) sopping wet main characters with clothing stuck to their skin
(2) perky little bubble butt
(3) contrive meeting between (a) fully clothed guy A and (b) naked guy B which leads to...
(4) INSTANT RAGING HARD ON
(5) queeny, twink ex-boyfriend
(6) the one guy being a meddling matchmaker (I presume in a previous book, this is my first--and last--of this series, unless they do a lesbian couple?)
Plus you have Derrick, who cannot stop talking about how he needs to throw Ginsberg out (hard G? Soft G?) and close down the B&B and wait he cooked steak no wait I need to kick him out, did you know that Derrick thinks he needs to kick Ginsberg out and close up the B&B? Because he needs to kick Ginsberg out and close up the B&B. (Seriously.)
The point at which I stopped was when Derrick agrees to go down to one of the local cafes for a live show, and then spontaneously decides that YES HE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. Which, so much does not make sense about that. Let me list the ways:
(1) This seems massively out of character. He may be warming up to Ginsberg, but that definitely seems to be a one-person sort of thing. At no point in the book to this point does he seem like he wants to meet, talk to, or really even socialize outside of talking to and doing things with Ginsberg.
(2) One week. There is literally ONE WEEK before the date they're talking about doing a show for. One week is not enough time to do anything, let alone (1) secure a band, (2) secure equipment, (3) secure an AUDIENCE.
This was the point at which I stopped (35%, for the curious). Between the hot/cold of Derrick (which seemed ill-based and ill-supported), the stereotypes, and the numerous suspensions of disbelief (seriously: you go for a hike with burned bacon on the stove and toast in the oven and come back to a minor fire that doesn't damage your oven at all; you can get deliciously wonderful onion rings from an onion that's been sitting under the sink (???) for god knows how long; you can clean and cook a huge meal with very few issues with a cast on one arm (literally, there's only a handful of mentions of Ginsberg's broken arm interfering with his day-to-day meddling operations)... blah blah blah).
I recognize a lot of this is little stuff, but all together I couldn't take it. This is why I largely do not read contemporary M/M, and I'm sad to see these clichés and stereotypes in a trans M/M fic. I had hoped for better.
I was going to push on, but I came on goodreads to see if anyone else was having these issues and found out that the climax of the book centers on a miscommunication and a fight that includes harsh words, which put the final nail in the coffin for me on this one.
(1) sopping wet main characters with clothing stuck to their skin
(2) perky little bubble butt
(3) contrive meeting between (a) fully clothed guy A and (b) naked guy B which leads to...
(4) INSTANT RAGING HARD ON
(5) queeny, twink ex-boyfriend
(6) the one guy being a meddling matchmaker (I presume in a previous book, this is my first--and last--of this series, unless they do a lesbian couple?)
Plus you have Derrick, who cannot stop talking about how he needs to throw Ginsberg out (hard G? Soft G?) and close down the B&B and wait he cooked steak no wait I need to kick him out, did you know that Derrick thinks he needs to kick Ginsberg out and close up the B&B? Because he needs to kick Ginsberg out and close up the B&B. (Seriously.)
The point at which I stopped was when Derrick agrees to go down to one of the local cafes for a live show, and then spontaneously decides that YES HE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. Which, so much does not make sense about that. Let me list the ways:
(1) This seems massively out of character. He may be warming up to Ginsberg, but that definitely seems to be a one-person sort of thing. At no point in the book to this point does he seem like he wants to meet, talk to, or really even socialize outside of talking to and doing things with Ginsberg.
(2) One week. There is literally ONE WEEK before the date they're talking about doing a show for. One week is not enough time to do anything, let alone (1) secure a band, (2) secure equipment, (3) secure an AUDIENCE.
This was the point at which I stopped (35%, for the curious). Between the hot/cold of Derrick (which seemed ill-based and ill-supported), the stereotypes, and the numerous suspensions of disbelief (seriously: you go for a hike with burned bacon on the stove and toast in the oven and come back to a minor fire that doesn't damage your oven at all; you can get deliciously wonderful onion rings from an onion that's been sitting under the sink (???) for god knows how long; you can clean and cook a huge meal with very few issues with a cast on one arm (literally, there's only a handful of mentions of Ginsberg's broken arm interfering with his day-to-day meddling operations)... blah blah blah).
I recognize a lot of this is little stuff, but all together I couldn't take it. This is why I largely do not read contemporary M/M, and I'm sad to see these clichés and stereotypes in a trans M/M fic. I had hoped for better.
I was going to push on, but I came on goodreads to see if anyone else was having these issues and found out that the climax of the book centers on a miscommunication and a fight that includes harsh words, which put the final nail in the coffin for me on this one.
January 3, 2016
Derrick Richards is running the B&B that he inherited after his parents died. He's anti-social and doesn't have any friends besides his ex. He's struggling with keeping the B&B nice and clean, so he decides to close the place up, but someone unexpectedly shows up on his porch.
Ginsberg Sloan is a Wolf’s Landing stuntman, who recently broke his arm. He's tired of his couchsurfing habit, so he's looking for a cheap long-term place he could stay at. He decides to check in at the Bluewater Bay's Worst B&B.
Derrick and Ginsberg try to renew the B&B together and they work on Derrick's stereotypical thinking about what's 'girly' and what's not.
Ginsberg's past was briefly told and I really wish I could get to know more about him. It was also my first time reading a book with a transgender character and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. I just really liked how the authors dealt with it. Overall, it's a very sweet and well written story.
ARC kindly provided by Riptide via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ginsberg Sloan is a Wolf’s Landing stuntman, who recently broke his arm. He's tired of his couchsurfing habit, so he's looking for a cheap long-term place he could stay at. He decides to check in at the Bluewater Bay's Worst B&B.
Derrick and Ginsberg try to renew the B&B together and they work on Derrick's stereotypical thinking about what's 'girly' and what's not.
Ginsberg's past was briefly told and I really wish I could get to know more about him. It was also my first time reading a book with a transgender character and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. I just really liked how the authors dealt with it. Overall, it's a very sweet and well written story.
ARC kindly provided by Riptide via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2016
I tethered between 2 & 3 stars. These were new to me authors. I think audio booking it was a wise choice for me BUT I probably won't continue the series. I didn't find the main MC particularly likeable & even once he realized his mistakes & showed a little growth it was too late.
January 13, 2015
4.25 STARS
This was my highest rating book of the series and I was glad that they saved the best for last! Not familiar with the authors so I had no basis of their work. Anyway, I thought this was really really awesome and I couldn't help myself and finished it.
The story revolved on Ginsberg, a stuntman who we met in Starstruck Bluewater Bay 1, and Derrick, a lumberjack who was forced to manage the B&B his parents gave and left him with. There were so many things that made this story really great and interesting. There were much more pros than cons so I would start with the cons.
Things I didn't like/was iffy about
Actually, there was only one thing and it will be known very early in the book but I'll just say that I really wanted to know more about that certain aspect (a very important and big aspect) about Ginsberg. For someone who wasn't knowledgeable about it, I really had a hard time understanding 100%. Although it didn't hinder me from the story itself, I just wished it was explore more.
If you want to know about it here's the spoiler:
On to the great things!
Things I certainly liked/loved
1. Loved their banter. It was written really great and really engaging. It wasn't some unnecessary banter just to had one. It was funny and engaging!
2. The writing was really good. Kept me very interested the whole time. I had to literally stop myself from finishing the book in an hour. I tried my best to read it slowly. I got a few hours only.
3. I thought Derrick's thoughts were somehow funny. I mean it wasn't supposed to be at some moments but they were.
4. The sexual tension was off the charts. I mean the wait for the sex had me almost exploding myself.
"Whaddya want?" Derrick rumbled.
To have that dick up my ass
Ginsberg's mind supplied. Don't say that out loud. Don't say that out loud. Don't say that out loud."/center>
Them:
Me:
Ginsberg:
Seriously, I felt like exploding and then I couldn't handle it. My mind and body couldn't handle it.
5. I was very glad to see Carter & Levi again. Their book is my second highest rating in this series.
6. The apron displayed on the wall scene? That one had me teary eyed. I thought it was very touching and was the turning point of the problem in the story. I thought that was a great scene.
7. I loved how Derrick's problem was fixed properly. Not rushed and properly written. I thought that was really great. The redemption scene where Derrick went to the Wolf's Landing set was just really good.
I just really thought this was a great book from the series after a very disappointing fourth book. It wasn't totally amazing like exceptional but it was greatly written. It was funny, heartwarming, touching, balanced angst and realistic. I love those qualities in a book.
This is basically me almost every time when reading the book. A line from the book:
"He... didn't know what to feel. Except kind of like that guy in that Tumblr GIF, spinning in circles on the floor and screaming My whole brain is crying!"
Overall, a very refreshing and great read.
This was my highest rating book of the series and I was glad that they saved the best for last! Not familiar with the authors so I had no basis of their work. Anyway, I thought this was really really awesome and I couldn't help myself and finished it.
The story revolved on Ginsberg, a stuntman who we met in Starstruck Bluewater Bay 1, and Derrick, a lumberjack who was forced to manage the B&B his parents gave and left him with. There were so many things that made this story really great and interesting. There were much more pros than cons so I would start with the cons.
Things I didn't like/was iffy about
Actually, there was only one thing and it will be known very early in the book but I'll just say that I really wanted to know more about that certain aspect (a very important and big aspect) about Ginsberg. For someone who wasn't knowledgeable about it, I really had a hard time understanding 100%. Although it didn't hinder me from the story itself, I just wished it was explore more.
If you want to know about it here's the spoiler:
On to the great things!
Things I certainly liked/loved
1. Loved their banter. It was written really great and really engaging. It wasn't some unnecessary banter just to had one. It was funny and engaging!
2. The writing was really good. Kept me very interested the whole time. I had to literally stop myself from finishing the book in an hour. I tried my best to read it slowly. I got a few hours only.
3. I thought Derrick's thoughts were somehow funny. I mean it wasn't supposed to be at some moments but they were.
4. The sexual tension was off the charts. I mean the wait for the sex had me almost exploding myself.
"Whaddya want?" Derrick rumbled.
To have that dick up my ass
Ginsberg's mind supplied. Don't say that out loud. Don't say that out loud. Don't say that out loud."/center>
Them:
Me:
Ginsberg:
Seriously, I felt like exploding and then I couldn't handle it. My mind and body couldn't handle it.
5. I was very glad to see Carter & Levi again. Their book is my second highest rating in this series.
6. The apron displayed on the wall scene? That one had me teary eyed. I thought it was very touching and was the turning point of the problem in the story. I thought that was a great scene.
7. I loved how Derrick's problem was fixed properly. Not rushed and properly written. I thought that was really great. The redemption scene where Derrick went to the Wolf's Landing set was just really good.
I just really thought this was a great book from the series after a very disappointing fourth book. It wasn't totally amazing like exceptional but it was greatly written. It was funny, heartwarming, touching, balanced angst and realistic. I love those qualities in a book.
This is basically me almost every time when reading the book. A line from the book:
"He... didn't know what to feel. Except kind of like that guy in that Tumblr GIF, spinning in circles on the floor and screaming My whole brain is crying!"
Overall, a very refreshing and great read.
February 25, 2015
I actually enjoyed The Burnt Toast B&B more than I thought I would after reading reviews of Derrick's overall personality. The man has some issues, there is no doubt about that, and there were many times while reading, I just wanted to shake him.
Derrick is a gay man who is overly conscious of doing anything that could be construed as even remotely "feminine". He's got rather outdated ideas on gender roles, and, interestingly enough, he didn't get most of it from his parents. Derrick has managed to isolate himself and alienate nearly everyone since his parents died in an accident a few years before. Since then, Derrick has been trying (though, arguably not very hard) to run the B&B himself. He can't cook, his cleaning skills need serious help and his organizational skills are abysmal. The only person he hasn't managed to drive away is his friend Jim (who also used be a friend with bennies). Jim is a saint (and that status was just cemented by the donuts with candied bacon sprinkles).
Ginsburg, unlike Derrick, is unapologetically who he is. He has had to work very hard on being comfortable in his own skin and he's had to learn, the hard way, mostly, that other people cannot define who he is, and to let them would be unhealthy. I liked Ginsburg pretty much right away. He's no nonsense and unafraid to be himself. After being injured during a stunt on the set of Wolf's Landing he needs a cheap place to stay while he recovers and he ends up at Derrick's B&B. And that's where the fun begins.
What do a lumberjack, a stuntman and a dog named Victoria Beckham have in common? Maybe not a whole lot, on the surface, but I can definitely see where the dog got her personality. Derrick is prickly, tends to run hot and cold and is generally unpleasant to be around. Ginsburg manages to win them both over, but the dog, overall, had better manners than Derrick.
I enjoyed the interactions between Derrick and Ginsburg quite a lot. Ginsburg just doesn't let most anything get to him. I would have loved for more of the sex and intimacy to have been on the page, however. We only get one full sex scene, and it is super hawt. More of that, please! And, I think their separation (after Derrick takes an extra large dose of idiocy with his coffee) covered a bit too much time, but maybe they both needed the time and space to re-center themselves. I did love how Derrick went about winning Ginsburg back, though. I thought that was awesome.
I haven't read many stories involving . And any book that prompts me to take to Google to learn more about a subject, I think is a winner.
Derrick is a gay man who is overly conscious of doing anything that could be construed as even remotely "feminine". He's got rather outdated ideas on gender roles, and, interestingly enough, he didn't get most of it from his parents. Derrick has managed to isolate himself and alienate nearly everyone since his parents died in an accident a few years before. Since then, Derrick has been trying (though, arguably not very hard) to run the B&B himself. He can't cook, his cleaning skills need serious help and his organizational skills are abysmal. The only person he hasn't managed to drive away is his friend Jim (who also used be a friend with bennies). Jim is a saint (and that status was just cemented by the donuts with candied bacon sprinkles).
Ginsburg, unlike Derrick, is unapologetically who he is. He has had to work very hard on being comfortable in his own skin and he's had to learn, the hard way, mostly, that other people cannot define who he is, and to let them would be unhealthy. I liked Ginsburg pretty much right away. He's no nonsense and unafraid to be himself. After being injured during a stunt on the set of Wolf's Landing he needs a cheap place to stay while he recovers and he ends up at Derrick's B&B. And that's where the fun begins.
What do a lumberjack, a stuntman and a dog named Victoria Beckham have in common? Maybe not a whole lot, on the surface, but I can definitely see where the dog got her personality. Derrick is prickly, tends to run hot and cold and is generally unpleasant to be around. Ginsburg manages to win them both over, but the dog, overall, had better manners than Derrick.
I enjoyed the interactions between Derrick and Ginsburg quite a lot. Ginsburg just doesn't let most anything get to him. I would have loved for more of the sex and intimacy to have been on the page, however. We only get one full sex scene, and it is super hawt. More of that, please! And, I think their separation (after Derrick takes an extra large dose of idiocy with his coffee) covered a bit too much time, but maybe they both needed the time and space to re-center themselves. I did love how Derrick went about winning Ginsburg back, though. I thought that was awesome.
I haven't read many stories involving . And any book that prompts me to take to Google to learn more about a subject, I think is a winner.
January 27, 2015
With 'The Burnt Toast B&B' Heidi Belleau and Rachel Haimowitz contribute a book to the Bluewater Bay series that is very different from the previous 4 books.
With Ginsberg (he's a Wolf’s Landing stuntman), a trans character is stepping into the main focus of the series. Ginsberg is a tough cookie, I instantly liked him and highly respect his determination to live his life as a man. He’s wearing his scars with pride... I can only expect how much hurt he went through to get to the point where he is in life now. And most of all, I love him for not letting anti-social, moody Derrick go away with his bad behavior.
Derrick is another story. It took me some time to fall for rugged, hairy but oh so sweet, lonely Derrick. He’s a bit rough around the edges and his attitudes and his unwillingness to change annoy the hell out of Ginsberg. Plus, he can’t cook for shit... but hey… the guy is a Lumberjack. How hot is that?
Derrick and Ginsberg are so cute together. There isn’t much sex in the book but this one scene on screen is intense, tender and electric. It was the first sex scene with a transsexual character I’ve ever read. In my opinion it’s done wonderfully sensitive and respectful, it was an entirely positive surprise for me.
I don’t want to forget the great supporting characters, especially flamboyant Jim, Derrick’s ex, a wonderful guy who deserves to find the love of his life. I would love to read his story.
Overall, The Burnt Toast B&B is a intriguing, brilliantly written, character driven book about a love that conquers tons of difficulties. It’s a prime example of an opposites attract story and it's definitely one of the best Bluewater Bay books so far.
January 13, 2015
4.5 Stars
This is not the book I expected it to be. I guess I'm not really sure what I did expect, other than it was probably going to be really good because of Heidi and Rachel. I love their books so, yeah.
This book? It was better.
Derrick and his ridiculous views on what a man should be, only to realize how wrong he's really been all his life. Ginsberg, with his open mind, light spirit and hart. All of this and more make this book was wonderful, sweet, loving, full of understanding and compassion. Every time Ginsberg smiles, I smiled. Every time Derrick figured something out, learned something new about himself, I smiled. Every single time.
Yes, the parts that hurt, well, they hurt. There's so much frustration to be had with Derrick. But he's nothing if not able to learn from his mistakes. And Ginsberg? He's just the man to open Derrick's eyes. Ginsberg has the best personality, the very best outlook, and the very best heart. I absolutely love him.
I really, really, really liked this book. I want more books like this. It feels so honest, and I really don't know what else to say. I'm not very good about getting the feelings out. This time is no different. Just, please, get it. Read it. It's wonderful and I have all these fuzzy feelings that won't go away. I hope you get them, too.
This is not the book I expected it to be. I guess I'm not really sure what I did expect, other than it was probably going to be really good because of Heidi and Rachel. I love their books so, yeah.
This book? It was better.
Derrick and his ridiculous views on what a man should be, only to realize how wrong he's really been all his life. Ginsberg, with his open mind, light spirit and hart. All of this and more make this book was wonderful, sweet, loving, full of understanding and compassion. Every time Ginsberg smiles, I smiled. Every time Derrick figured something out, learned something new about himself, I smiled. Every single time.
Yes, the parts that hurt, well, they hurt. There's so much frustration to be had with Derrick. But he's nothing if not able to learn from his mistakes. And Ginsberg? He's just the man to open Derrick's eyes. Ginsberg has the best personality, the very best outlook, and the very best heart. I absolutely love him.
I really, really, really liked this book. I want more books like this. It feels so honest, and I really don't know what else to say. I'm not very good about getting the feelings out. This time is no different. Just, please, get it. Read it. It's wonderful and I have all these fuzzy feelings that won't go away. I hope you get them, too.
January 8, 2015
ARC provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.
Ginsberg Sloan is temporarily out of work after he broke his arm on the set of Wolf’s Landing, the TV show being shot in Bluewater Bay, Washington. In an effort to save money, he heads for the B&B with the worst reputation and therefore cheapest rates, and there he encounters not only Derrick Richards but a smoke-filled kitchen with a fire blazing both in the oven and on the stovetop. Thankfully, Ginsberg knows his way around a fire extinguisher, even with one arm, and after putting out the fire, he takes the time to assess his soon-to-be landlord.
Derrick has been out of work as a logger and was trying his hand at running the B&B he inherited when his parents were killed in an accident several years ago. He’s come to the conclusion that his clumsy efforts in the kitchen, his inability to do the necessary home repairs, and his lack of funds to do anything else equals “get out of business”. But before he can do that, he’s now going to have to find a way to get this guy to vacate the premises. So Derrick sets out to make him leave but it backfires when Ginsberg jumps in to help out. He manages to help so much that Derrick finds himself getting back into the business and enjoying it, despite his inherent objections to doing feminine work such as cooking and cleaning.
This is one of the best stories of the series and the full review will be posted soon on the above website. Needless to say, I highly recommend this story and the entire series.
Love to walk away from a book feeling good? Love rich three-dimensional characters? Don't hesitate to read this one.
Ginsberg Sloan is temporarily out of work after he broke his arm on the set of Wolf’s Landing, the TV show being shot in Bluewater Bay, Washington. In an effort to save money, he heads for the B&B with the worst reputation and therefore cheapest rates, and there he encounters not only Derrick Richards but a smoke-filled kitchen with a fire blazing both in the oven and on the stovetop. Thankfully, Ginsberg knows his way around a fire extinguisher, even with one arm, and after putting out the fire, he takes the time to assess his soon-to-be landlord.
Derrick has been out of work as a logger and was trying his hand at running the B&B he inherited when his parents were killed in an accident several years ago. He’s come to the conclusion that his clumsy efforts in the kitchen, his inability to do the necessary home repairs, and his lack of funds to do anything else equals “get out of business”. But before he can do that, he’s now going to have to find a way to get this guy to vacate the premises. So Derrick sets out to make him leave but it backfires when Ginsberg jumps in to help out. He manages to help so much that Derrick finds himself getting back into the business and enjoying it, despite his inherent objections to doing feminine work such as cooking and cleaning.
This is one of the best stories of the series and the full review will be posted soon on the above website. Needless to say, I highly recommend this story and the entire series.
Love to walk away from a book feeling good? Love rich three-dimensional characters? Don't hesitate to read this one.
January 2, 2016
I found the most of the first half of the book to be quite slow, though not in an off-putting way, more in a "Gosh, I hope they get to the good stuff soon!" kind of way.
I had never read a book with a transgender main character, and was looking forward to learning more about Ginsberg and what drove him and also reading about the process. Unfortunately for me, there was no real background or information here on Ginsberg's "trans" transformation. So, I felt like I lost out on that end. I felt like I could have really liked Ginsberg, but I never really got to get to know him.
I enjoyed parts of the story, even though I wished for a bit more excitement (and definitely more sexy times), but was disappointed that from 77%-93% the story was derailed completely by miscommunication malarkey. Even though it got sorted out, I never felt like the story got back on track, and then it sort of just...petered out.
The characters (Derrick, Ginsberg, even Jim) could have been (and should have been) fleshed out a lot more, and, of course, it would have been so much better without the miscommunication nonsense, which was completely unnecessary.
I had never read a book with a transgender main character, and was looking forward to learning more about Ginsberg and what drove him and also reading about the process. Unfortunately for me, there was no real background or information here on Ginsberg's "trans" transformation. So, I felt like I lost out on that end. I felt like I could have really liked Ginsberg, but I never really got to get to know him.
I enjoyed parts of the story, even though I wished for a bit more excitement (and definitely more sexy times), but was disappointed that from 77%-93% the story was derailed completely by miscommunication malarkey. Even though it got sorted out, I never felt like the story got back on track, and then it sort of just...petered out.
The characters (Derrick, Ginsberg, even Jim) could have been (and should have been) fleshed out a lot more, and, of course, it would have been so much better without the miscommunication nonsense, which was completely unnecessary.
February 17, 2017
Review to come soonThis is the first book that I've ever read by either one of these authors, but I have read a couple of the other books in this series, like How the Cookie Crumbles, but all of these books can be read as standalones. They all take place in the same town so you will sometimes see characters pop up in some of the other books. This is my first time reading a steamy romance with a trans MC, so I was really excited. I would call this one a slow burn style romance too, they take a while to get to know each other.
Derrick is not a very happy guy at the beginning of this story. He comes across as a very gruff and grumpy guy. He feels stuck with his parent's B&B, and wants to get back to doing "men's work" because he doesn't feel as if cooking and cleaning are things he should be doing. He decides that he is going to give up the B&B, but right before he does Ginsberg shows up on his doorstep needing a place to stay. I had my love and hate moments when it came to Derrick. He was grumpy bear antics mixed with his soft-hearted moments really won me over....but have you ever wanted to shake a character when they do stupid things? I had a few moments with him
I loved Ginsberg. He was such a sweetheart. He loves helping people, and being social. When he sees the state of the B&B he almost instantly wants to help Derrick fix it up. He also helps Derrick become a little more social. I got made in Ginsberg's defense a couple times in this book when Derrick would put his foot in his mouth.
I enjoyed returning to the the small town and the atmosphere again, and will be picking up a few others from the series too. I enjoyed this one but I didn't love it as much as I expected too.
* I received a copy of this title via Riptide Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. *
Derrick is not a very happy guy at the beginning of this story. He comes across as a very gruff and grumpy guy. He feels stuck with his parent's B&B, and wants to get back to doing "men's work" because he doesn't feel as if cooking and cleaning are things he should be doing. He decides that he is going to give up the B&B, but right before he does Ginsberg shows up on his doorstep needing a place to stay. I had my love and hate moments when it came to Derrick. He was grumpy bear antics mixed with his soft-hearted moments really won me over....but have you ever wanted to shake a character when they do stupid things? I had a few moments with him
I loved Ginsberg. He was such a sweetheart. He loves helping people, and being social. When he sees the state of the B&B he almost instantly wants to help Derrick fix it up. He also helps Derrick become a little more social. I got made in Ginsberg's defense a couple times in this book when Derrick would put his foot in his mouth.
I enjoyed returning to the the small town and the atmosphere again, and will be picking up a few others from the series too. I enjoyed this one but I didn't love it as much as I expected too.
* I received a copy of this title via Riptide Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. *
August 23, 2018
I haven't read either of these authors before because they tend to write stuff I don't want to read, but all my friends loved this one and I can see why. It's cute, and sweet, and yes Derrick is a massive bundle of hyper-masculinity brought on by schoolyard bullies in his formative years, during which he learned all the wrong lessons about what it means to be a man. Then along comes Ginsberg, and he's not putting up with any of that crap. He manages to get through to Derrick that being a man means not being afraid to be yourself, social norms be damned. While I'm not tranx and so can't speak with any kind of experience for how those parts were handled, I did love that Ginsberg stood up for himself when Derrick was being a jerk, and that he didn't back down or forgive because twu wuv or anything stupid like that. While this all does take place over a couple of months, I actually felt like we got to see their relationship develop and grow stronger,
The B&B was a horror story from Yelp! when Ginsberg first arrived. I have to say, its rundown state as first described needed a hell of a lot more than a week's worth of moving stuff around and wiping down windows. That was unrealistic, but I was able to check my disbelief at the door. It did help that there were still repairs being addressed later in the book.
Derrick's ex Jim was also a hoot. Can't say I care about the whole TV show subplot because actors = yawn, but Ginsberg being a stunt double was neat. I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but as a stand-alone this one works really well. Prior knowledge of the previous books was absolutely not required.
The narrators both did a great job, and I have nothing but praise for them. However, the way the narration was split (by the studio/publisher) felt amateurish and lazy. It was pretty clear that the narrators were not in the studio at the same time and that they recorded their parts separately. Having one narrator per POV is actually a really great idea. Since you can't hear a section break, having the narrator change as an audio cue is a perfect solution for that problem. It would've been better and worked more smoothly and given consistency to the performances to have Derrick's POV narrator voice all of Derrick's lines, and the same for Ginsberg's narrator, regardless of whose POV we were in, instead of having two different voices for each of the MCs. The same could've been done with the side characters too, but since they're not in the story as often, it's not as much of a distraction. Again, no fault of the narrators, since they were just doing their jobs, but I hope this isn't the new trend for M/M audiobooks. Please, put the narrators in the studio together and let them read together. I guarantee the result with be worth the extra day or two it may take.
The B&B was a horror story from Yelp! when Ginsberg first arrived. I have to say, its rundown state as first described needed a hell of a lot more than a week's worth of moving stuff around and wiping down windows. That was unrealistic, but I was able to check my disbelief at the door. It did help that there were still repairs being addressed later in the book.
Derrick's ex Jim was also a hoot. Can't say I care about the whole TV show subplot because actors = yawn, but Ginsberg being a stunt double was neat. I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but as a stand-alone this one works really well. Prior knowledge of the previous books was absolutely not required.
The narrators both did a great job, and I have nothing but praise for them. However, the way the narration was split (by the studio/publisher) felt amateurish and lazy. It was pretty clear that the narrators were not in the studio at the same time and that they recorded their parts separately. Having one narrator per POV is actually a really great idea. Since you can't hear a section break, having the narrator change as an audio cue is a perfect solution for that problem. It would've been better and worked more smoothly and given consistency to the performances to have Derrick's POV narrator voice all of Derrick's lines, and the same for Ginsberg's narrator, regardless of whose POV we were in, instead of having two different voices for each of the MCs. The same could've been done with the side characters too, but since they're not in the story as often, it's not as much of a distraction. Again, no fault of the narrators, since they were just doing their jobs, but I hope this isn't the new trend for M/M audiobooks. Please, put the narrators in the studio together and let them read together. I guarantee the result with be worth the extra day or two it may take.
October 1, 2024
I’m not buying any of this. Derrick is an unlikeable jerk. Taking in Ginsberg (that name!) when he’s already decided to close down & then constantly trying to get him to leave was just a ridiculous setup. Ginsberg’s interest in Derrick is totally unbelievable thus far. And both characters already musing about love is just preposterous. There’s a lot of telling going on here: each guy tells us things they’ve observed about the other rather than letting us see things develop naturally over time. Now they’re embarking on an unrealistic project to turn the B & B around in one week. I can’t. DNF @ 40%
March 31, 2019
DNF at 23%
From what I read of this book there were so many issues with it. I saw no positive trans rep in this book and I was disappointed. As a trans guy I love to read characters I can relate to and see myself represented in fiction. Instead this book referred to the trans guy’s body as “physical configuration”. Not a single part of this phase is okay.
And as for Derrick constantly questioning if Ginsberg was “the best judge of character when it came to affairs of manhood.” Or saying the rules dividing men and women even applied to him.
From what I read of this book there were so many issues with it. I saw no positive trans rep in this book and I was disappointed. As a trans guy I love to read characters I can relate to and see myself represented in fiction. Instead this book referred to the trans guy’s body as “physical configuration”. Not a single part of this phase is okay.
And as for Derrick constantly questioning if Ginsberg was “the best judge of character when it came to affairs of manhood.” Or saying the rules dividing men and women even applied to him.
July 24, 2016
I didn't really 'feeling' connected with these two MCs. The first chapters didn't too gripping for me. I have to put it down a few times, I would probably be back to try to understand both characters.. But overall, this was an okay read. Not the best in the series, but worth to try.
* ARC was given by publisher through Netgalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.*
October 7, 2018
Fun, light-hearted story.
Derrick was rude and ignorant, with his desperate effort to be a "real man". He really had a lot to learn on his way to self-acceptance.
Ginsberg, on the other hand, was absolutely adorable and refreshingly confident!
Derrick was rude and ignorant, with his desperate effort to be a "real man". He really had a lot to learn on his way to self-acceptance.
Ginsberg, on the other hand, was absolutely adorable and refreshingly confident!
March 4, 2016
This one has been sitting on my shelf a while and I have the vague recollection that I thought an opposites attract by a pair of writers might be fun plus I was interested in a book with a trans hero since I don't see many stories including them. Better late than never, etc, so I finally picked it up.
Now here's the thing. I can't do my usual review. This is going to turn into a 'lecture' no matter what. I can't get around it. Because, my final impression was that this was more a fiction story with some really pointy points made to the reader than an LGBT contemporary romance which is what I thought I was picking up. I'm not opposed to a fiction story at all or that the authors wish to use their writing to convey their beliefs, but it does make it a little problematic for me when it's supposed to be a romance and the other stuff overshadowed the romance.
The story opens with Bluewater Bay B&B owner, Derrick Richards watching his last paying guests drive away without paying because he refunded their money after burning the breakfast yet again and driving them off with shoddy service. He is disgruntled and dissatisfied with life in general and the B&B that was his parents' legacy to him in particular.
He has hated having anything to do with it since he was a kid and other kids made fun calling him a maid. He was also in the closet for the most part because he had the idea that his dad wanted him to be a manly man. Derrick's only relationship was with a queen and he is hard on his ex and far from understanding. Derrick has pretty much driven off most people with his bad attitude over the years.
Derrick went away and worked in the logging industry as a lumberjack and now for three years he has run the already flagging B&B into the ground. He is relieved when he decided to close it up and go back to logging when bedraggled Ginsberg arrives at his door shivering from the cold rain and bearing his arm in a cast. Derrick has pity and lets him in, but then has to get rid of the guy if he wants to close up the B&B. Derrick chooses to drive Ginsberg out with poor service after realizing his guest is transgender and he doesn't want Ginsberg to think he is getting rid of him for that reason.
Ginsberg has learned to be wary of big, buff manly types and waits for Derrick to freak out because not only is Ginsberg gay, but he is transgender and still going through the last of the process. But, as a stunt man on the set and going through an injury that will lay him up for almost eight weeks, Ginsberg needs a cheap place to stay and this tired rundown B&B is it. He is well aware that Derrick is making no effort to welcome him or treat him well as a guest, but it is not because of Ginsberg's orientation. It's just Derrick being Derrick. Ginsberg decides that Derrick and the inn will be his project. He sets out to bring the inn back to order, bring Derrick out of his antiquated beliefs and need to hide, and carefully navigate the attraction that has blossomed between them. But when all is said and done, his stay is on a time limit and is there really any hope that Derrick will change?
The story was only moderately enjoyable for me. I felt like I was in the midst of a lecture couched as a story. For instance, I was supposed to find it a bad thing that Derrick was displeased that his guest was wearing his deceased mother's apron. It is made clear that it is because he is disdainful of a guy wearing something frilly, however my initial thought before I was given the reason for Derrick's displeasure was that there was another reason for his reaction-an obvious one (the guy rifled through things and put on his deceased mom's apron- I wouldn't care for that either). This started me to thinking about where I was being led with this 'lesson'. In another instance, I was supposed to see him as a Neanderthal because, as a guy who runs around in jeans and flannel plaids work shirts, he doesn't care to be presented with a pink apron as a gift and he shies away from assembling confectionery treats. Why was he expected to love pink and suddenly enjoy making tarts? Again, my mind leaped to him having a preference, but no, it's because he has to be rigid in his idea of gender role.
I get it. We're supposed to be stepping away from antiquated ideas about what is male, female or both. But why did nearly everything have to feel like a lesson? This is a story. And because Derrick is a class A jerk- he truly was- I felt a bit guilty because I saw it this way. I resented that Derrick was set up so neatly as the 'cautionary tale' character (or more like caricature) instead of a guy with flaws and a need to grow, but also having some hero-worthy traits, too (to be fair, their are a very few against all his ugly traits). I took exception to being led about. I was supposed to dislike Derrick and definitely dislike his views while finding sweet, long-suffering Ginsberg's views enlightened and expansive. How could I help, but not feel that way after the way the story was set up? Would it have been so bad for Ginsberg had a few flaws that needed work, too?
Now after saying all that, I didn't hate the story. It was fun seeing these two opposites do the work of pulling the failing inn back together and I liked the idea of a stuntman hero. Jim was a favorite as a secondary character and the little dog, Victoria Beckham was a scene stealer. Ginsberg's history and present circumstances earned great respect with me. The fumbling first sexy times rang true for me as Derrick learned what it was like to be with a transgender male and I loved that he made Ginsberg feel appreciated and wanted. My heart hurt for Ginsberg when Derrick delivered that scathing, awful speech near the end when he had his huge freak out. And Derrick, he infuriated me, but also had me feeling great pity because he was so locked in his past that he couldn't move forward. I was glad the authors allowed time to pass after Derrick's big screw up in which the guys had to start over and Derrick had to prove himself.
I am glad that the authors chose to spotlight a transgender romance hero and even a non-binary gender secondary character as well as the issue of gender roles. Ironically, I do find learning about people different from myself an engaging part of stories (just don't brow beat me with it).
The book is part of the ongoing Bluewater Bay series. The series is written by a team of authors and is loosely connected from book to book by the setting making the reading order flexible.
My recommendation is going to be to those who are looking for something more challenging than simple LGBT contemporary romance.
My thanks to Riptide Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Now here's the thing. I can't do my usual review. This is going to turn into a 'lecture' no matter what. I can't get around it. Because, my final impression was that this was more a fiction story with some really pointy points made to the reader than an LGBT contemporary romance which is what I thought I was picking up. I'm not opposed to a fiction story at all or that the authors wish to use their writing to convey their beliefs, but it does make it a little problematic for me when it's supposed to be a romance and the other stuff overshadowed the romance.
The story opens with Bluewater Bay B&B owner, Derrick Richards watching his last paying guests drive away without paying because he refunded their money after burning the breakfast yet again and driving them off with shoddy service. He is disgruntled and dissatisfied with life in general and the B&B that was his parents' legacy to him in particular.
He has hated having anything to do with it since he was a kid and other kids made fun calling him a maid. He was also in the closet for the most part because he had the idea that his dad wanted him to be a manly man. Derrick's only relationship was with a queen and he is hard on his ex and far from understanding. Derrick has pretty much driven off most people with his bad attitude over the years.
Derrick went away and worked in the logging industry as a lumberjack and now for three years he has run the already flagging B&B into the ground. He is relieved when he decided to close it up and go back to logging when bedraggled Ginsberg arrives at his door shivering from the cold rain and bearing his arm in a cast. Derrick has pity and lets him in, but then has to get rid of the guy if he wants to close up the B&B. Derrick chooses to drive Ginsberg out with poor service after realizing his guest is transgender and he doesn't want Ginsberg to think he is getting rid of him for that reason.
Ginsberg has learned to be wary of big, buff manly types and waits for Derrick to freak out because not only is Ginsberg gay, but he is transgender and still going through the last of the process. But, as a stunt man on the set and going through an injury that will lay him up for almost eight weeks, Ginsberg needs a cheap place to stay and this tired rundown B&B is it. He is well aware that Derrick is making no effort to welcome him or treat him well as a guest, but it is not because of Ginsberg's orientation. It's just Derrick being Derrick. Ginsberg decides that Derrick and the inn will be his project. He sets out to bring the inn back to order, bring Derrick out of his antiquated beliefs and need to hide, and carefully navigate the attraction that has blossomed between them. But when all is said and done, his stay is on a time limit and is there really any hope that Derrick will change?
The story was only moderately enjoyable for me. I felt like I was in the midst of a lecture couched as a story. For instance, I was supposed to find it a bad thing that Derrick was displeased that his guest was wearing his deceased mother's apron. It is made clear that it is because he is disdainful of a guy wearing something frilly, however my initial thought before I was given the reason for Derrick's displeasure was that there was another reason for his reaction-an obvious one (the guy rifled through things and put on his deceased mom's apron- I wouldn't care for that either). This started me to thinking about where I was being led with this 'lesson'. In another instance, I was supposed to see him as a Neanderthal because, as a guy who runs around in jeans and flannel plaids work shirts, he doesn't care to be presented with a pink apron as a gift and he shies away from assembling confectionery treats. Why was he expected to love pink and suddenly enjoy making tarts? Again, my mind leaped to him having a preference, but no, it's because he has to be rigid in his idea of gender role.
I get it. We're supposed to be stepping away from antiquated ideas about what is male, female or both. But why did nearly everything have to feel like a lesson? This is a story. And because Derrick is a class A jerk- he truly was- I felt a bit guilty because I saw it this way. I resented that Derrick was set up so neatly as the 'cautionary tale' character (or more like caricature) instead of a guy with flaws and a need to grow, but also having some hero-worthy traits, too (to be fair, their are a very few against all his ugly traits). I took exception to being led about. I was supposed to dislike Derrick and definitely dislike his views while finding sweet, long-suffering Ginsberg's views enlightened and expansive. How could I help, but not feel that way after the way the story was set up? Would it have been so bad for Ginsberg had a few flaws that needed work, too?
Now after saying all that, I didn't hate the story. It was fun seeing these two opposites do the work of pulling the failing inn back together and I liked the idea of a stuntman hero. Jim was a favorite as a secondary character and the little dog, Victoria Beckham was a scene stealer. Ginsberg's history and present circumstances earned great respect with me. The fumbling first sexy times rang true for me as Derrick learned what it was like to be with a transgender male and I loved that he made Ginsberg feel appreciated and wanted. My heart hurt for Ginsberg when Derrick delivered that scathing, awful speech near the end when he had his huge freak out. And Derrick, he infuriated me, but also had me feeling great pity because he was so locked in his past that he couldn't move forward. I was glad the authors allowed time to pass after Derrick's big screw up in which the guys had to start over and Derrick had to prove himself.
I am glad that the authors chose to spotlight a transgender romance hero and even a non-binary gender secondary character as well as the issue of gender roles. Ironically, I do find learning about people different from myself an engaging part of stories (just don't brow beat me with it).
The book is part of the ongoing Bluewater Bay series. The series is written by a team of authors and is loosely connected from book to book by the setting making the reading order flexible.
My recommendation is going to be to those who are looking for something more challenging than simple LGBT contemporary romance.
My thanks to Riptide Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2024
heres my word of advice to the authors as someone afab and identifies more on the masculine side of the gender spectrum. YOU CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A TRANS GUY HAS A VAGINA AND CALL IT AS SUCH...PLEASE!???!!?!?
abandoned
February 15, 2015On the fence. The kindle sample was underwhelming and I'm just not certain that this character is my cuppa (although I'm intrigued).
But on the other hand... Ami loved it and I always like what Ami likes. She's my mama goose and I'm her little duckling.
I don't know what to do.
2/14/15: Can't do it. Sorry, Ami, I tried!!! The chemistry between these characters was completely forced and I just couldn't get into it. Although if someone would like to come teach me how to make bacon doughnuts I'm game.
But on the other hand... Ami loved it and I always like what Ami likes. She's my mama goose and I'm her little duckling.
I don't know what to do.
2/14/15: Can't do it. Sorry, Ami, I tried!!! The chemistry between these characters was completely forced and I just couldn't get into it. Although if someone would like to come teach me how to make bacon doughnuts I'm game.
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